The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-11-24
TEA6HE.Rg'GolUMN,
]. G. cL1NKscALEs, EDITOR.
HISTORY OF ANDERSON.

q
HISTORY OF ANDERSON.
Having been requested by our Teacher
To obtain some facts regarding our City
and County, we have visited land, as the
reporters say, "interviewed'] all the
oldest inhabitants. Arranging in order
the facts thus given US, we obtain the fol-
lowing history Of Anderson:
Anderson County: is situated in the
Northwestern part of South Carolina
It originally formed part of Pendleton
District. By an Act of Legislature in
1926, this District was divided into An.
derson and Pickens Counties. The most
important rivers in the County are the
Seneca and saluda. There are other
smaller streams, the origin of whose
names is very interesting. When our
forces#ere ensamped and fortified against
the:snemy al Cambridge, they formed q
friendly alliance with settlement OF In.
dians near walhalla. These Indians had
obtained valuable information for our
troops at Cambridge, aud tradition says
an Indian woman from this settlement
in order to convey this information to the
whites, made the trip in a day and named
these streams as che crossed them.by the
distance, ashe had Travelled ,;viz:j Eighteen,
Three and Twenty, and Six and Twenty.
Five Commissioners were appointed by
the Legislature to locate County seat
for Anderson County. We have only
bean able to obtain the names OF three
Of these: Messrs. Robt. Norris, Jas. Har-
risoi, t,i and Griffin. Mr.. Asa Clink.
scales was the County Surveyor. These
Commissioners could not egree upon the
exact place for the town; some wishing
it located at place two miles north OF
Anderson called Whitehall, and others
thought 8 point three miles south the
best location. There was at that time q
blaokamith shop and small country store
where Granite Row now is, and here
these Commissioners met to continue the
dispute about the spot to locate the town.
The blacksmith proposed to treat them to
gallon Of liquor, if they would decide
upon this place; whereupon they got
gloriously drunk and declared this spot 70
be the very best place for the new town.
This was in February, 1927. The town
was Immediately laid off by Clinkscales,
the County Surveyor. North Boundary
Street WAS the one now known as Orr
Street South Boundary, now called Bel
ton Street; West Boundary, the street
running east Of the Presbyterian Church
and East Boundary. running in front OF
the Depot and extending to Belton Street.
Lots began to be sold about the LIST Of
April. The contract for building the
Court House and Jail was gi7en to Ben.
Denhan, of Greenville; he afterward en- en-
Gagged Nj. Robt. Wilson to take the con-
tractrand this Mr.. Wilson Immediately
moved to Anderson with his family. His
son, Jeptha Wilson, (who is now our
Oldest resident) vas ten years old when
he saw. the first brick made for these
~
buildings. The Jail was built near the
place now occupied by Whites Drug
Store. Tie first store on the Square was
built of pine poles and kept by Mr.. M.
Webb. He afterward built hotel and
large store room where the Benson House
now stands. Other stores were soon alter
built, as follows; by Jas. Thompson on
the McCully lot, Elias Earle where Wat
sons store now is, Christy Orr near where
the Bank, now stands, Jenkins Hammond
on the spot now occupied by Ma1wells
store. Among the first dwellings may be
mentioned those of Dan. Cochran where
the. Jail now is, Leroy Barr on the lot
now owned by Mr.. J. A. Daniels, Daniel
Brown on the Masonic lot, and the old
house still standing, lately owned by Mrs.
Leak. 7.. ~ se.-
The firsr Church built was Methodist
Church, on what's now Mr. Jno. Moore's
lot. Rev. Whitefeld Anthony was its
first pastor. Next the Baptist Church
was built, third the Presbyterian, then
the Episcopalian, and more recently the
Catholic. The first graveyard was the
Presbyterian, and the first person buried
was Miss. Osborne.
The iirst schooIof importance was the
Presbyterian Female College, built on
the lot now owned by Mrs. Crumley.
Profs. Moss and Presley. and Miss Nc
Quern were at the head Of this school.
Next the Baptist Seminary was built on
the lot adjoining the Baptist Church.
Mrs. Daniel, the two Misses Payne, Prof.
Wagstaff and DR.. johnson were mana
gers of this Seminary. Later the name
Of this school wss changed to johnson
University, and it was removed to the
buildings on University Hill, now occu'
pied by Patrick's Military School. There
was also Male Academy built on the lot
now owned by DR.. Johnstone.
All the first store rooms built in Ander'
son were one and two story wooden
buildings, most Of which were DESTROYED
by FIRE. ontha sthlof April, 1S45. The
principal buildings destroyed BY this fire
were ). Earg Evins and Griffin, on the
north corner of the block, the Postofhce,
Reeds law Office and the Anderson Ga
zetts, which was owned by ]. P. Reed,
Rice & Caters store, Dr.. Caters drug
store, Judge Whitner's law office, and the
store Of B. F. Crayton, on the south
corner, with Browns Hotel and the Ben
son House. After the fire the property
holders had meeting and decided tc
rebuild with substantial brick buildings
and in the course of two years this was